"To know her was to love her!"

Leata Lorraine Atchison was born October 20, 1921, to Sidney and Virtue (Pratt) Atchison in Aeneas Valley.  She joined three older brothers:  Lloyd and twin brothers, Charlie and Arlie.  This was Great Depression times and the family moved often to find work. She started grade school at Tonasket, attended one year at Sunnyslope, three years at the Rupert school in Aeneas Valley (a one-room school with all eight grades), then back to Tonasket for the eighth grade and high school.

Lorraine worked at the Haines Box Factory in Aeneas Valley with her parents at age 15.  When she was 16, while her mother was being treated for cancer in Spokane, Lorraine took over the factory's cookhouse, single-handedly preparing meals for 18 people morning and night and making lunch for up to 30. She did all the baking, including bread which she had learned to make at age nine. Later she worked in the box factory 10 hours a day for 35 cents per hour. In 1938 her parents adopted a baby sister, Sandra, and shortly after that Lorraine married Clifford Vance. The couple worked at the box factory that fall and later ran a cattle ranch.  They had three children:  Michael (Mick) (1942), Terrance (Terry) (1946), and Connie (1948). In 1951, they moved to Tonasket where Clifford and his brother, Everett, co-owned a service station business.

Dancing was a favorite pastime for Lorraine. She taught many children in Tonasket (and later in Riverside) the fun of square dancing. The groups performed exhibition dances for nursing homes and others.

From 1954 to 1958 Lorraine worked in the office at St. Martin's Hospital (now North Valley Hospital) in Tonasket.  In 1958, she and Clifford divorced.

In 1959 she married Virgil Green and immediately acquired 3 step-children and 3 grandchildren. Virgil had been born in Tunk Valley and always wanted to have a ranch there. So together, they were able to buy the Harry Figlenski ranch where they raised cattle, hay and kids.

Cattle prices plummeted about that time and a cattle disease cut deeply into the profit.  There was very little money, but there was always plenty of love. Virgil took jobs logging to bring in extra and Lorraine did upholstering in her basement for 14 years. She also worked in the apple sheds in the fall to make Christmas money. It was at this time that her brother, Arlie, was killed in a trucking accident. She realized then, that life was fleeting and if she was ever going to paint (as she had always wanted to) she had better start. She worked it in between other tasks and with Virgil's encouragement, enjoyed every minute of it.  She sold many of them but especially enjoyed giving them as gifts. She painted many that were requested: Someone's birthplace, a family homestead, or a favorite scene from a trip.

Lorraine loved to sew, making her first dress when she was 11 years old without a pattern.   She made many formal dresses for proms and was notorious for patching worn clothing! She made quilts for children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and donated quilts to organizations for fund raisers.  She was amazingly creative and loved any kind of crafts, including painting rocks, making them into little fawns, turtles, ladybugs...whatever her mind could conjure.  She shared this art with young children whenever she could.

For many years grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends' children came to the ranch for a summer stay where Virgil and Lorraine would make many wonderful memories for them. Lorraine had a great love for music and sang and played guitar or the accordion for generations of visiting children. All of the children who spent time with her remember the many "folk" songs she would sing to them.

Lorraine and Virgil both cherished old friends who encouraged them to write a book about Tunk Valley. It was called "Valley Memories" and was a collection of stories from Tunk and Chewilikin valley families. The book sold many copies through the Historical Society.

Virgil and Lorraine moved many times over the years but their hearts were always in Tunk Valley. They eventually settled farther up the valley near Tunk Mountain. They enjoyed the beautiful view and sunsets together until Virgil's death in 2001.

In 2002 Lorraine moved to Omak and lived there for 5 years. As her mobility began to worsen, she was invited to live with her daughter and son-in-law back "home" in Tunk Valley. She travelled with them on many trips over the next 12 years, taking her power chair along to enjoy "touring."

In 2019 Lorraine moved to Golden Years in Riverside where she enjoyed socializing with her fellow residents and with the caring staff. She shared with everyone her love of life and positive attitude, playing the piano for her new "family," and giving an encouraging word if needed.

Lorraine is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Virgil, her brothers, step-daughter and husband, Luella and Joe Schneider, and step-daughter-in-law, Patricia Green. She is survived by her children: sons, Michael (Nancy) Vance, Terry (Connie) Vance; daughter, Connie Sherman (Dennis), step-children: Gerald Green and Kelly (Wendy) Gann; and by 14 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren, her sister, Sandra, and by the many family members and friends whose lives she touched.

Viewing will be Friday, April 1, from 4-6 p.m. at Bergh Funeral Home in Tonasket (16 W. Delicious St.).

A graveside service will be held on Saturday, April 2, at 11:00 a.m. in Tunk Valley at the Tunk Valley Cemetery (approximately 13 miles east of Riverside on J.H. Green Road).  A potuck will follow at noon at the Tunk Valley Grange (1345 Tunk Creek Road).
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Salvation Army or the charity of your choice.